Improvement in coal-oil burners for lamps



l. T. VANKiRK.

Coal Oil Burner for Pampa- Patented March 17, 1863.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH T. VANKIRK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN COAL-OIL BURNERS FOR LAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 31,930. dated March 17, 1&3.

Be it known that l,J.T. VANKIRK, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain improvements in Burners forGoal-OilLamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists, first, in a. case to which a dome or deflector is permanently attached, and which is combined with and rendered detachable from another case substantially in the man nerdeseribed hereinafter, so as to allow the wick to be readily trimmed and lighted, and so that much of the danger of breaking the glass chimneys when wicks of ordinary lamps have to be trimmed or lighted may be avoided.

My invention is for the causing of an annultI' space intervening between two perforated cases, through which the air passes to the flime, as described hereinafter, the object of this portion of my invention being to increase the brilliancy and steadiness of the flame.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed todescribeits construction and operation.

0n reference to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is avcrticnl section of my improved burner for coal-oil lamps; Fig. 2, a sectional plan on the line 1 2 of the burner inverted; Figs. 3 and 4, sectional views showing the two parts of the burner detached from each other.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

My improved burner consists of two parts detachable from each other, the most prominent feature of one part being the outer cylindricalcase, A, and that of the other part the inner cylindrical case, B. The case A has at its lower end the usual annular projection, a to be screwed into the cap of the fountain or reservoir containing the supply of coal oil, and to the closed end of this projection ais secured the usual flat-wick tube, D, through openings in which project the teeth of cog-wheels a on a spindle, so that by turning the latter the wick may be raised or lowered at pleasure. Near the upper edge of the inner case, B, is

To all whom zit may concern: f

formed a shoulder, i, which rests on the upper edge of the outer case, A, and above this shoulder is the vertical flange 7:, which may be ornamented in the usual manner. To the inside and near the other edge of the inner case, B, is secured the dome or deflector G, which has at the top the usual elongated opening, m, situated direct] y above the wicktube D. Both inner and outer cases are perforated with a number of small holes, and an annular space intervenes between the two cases, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, there being on the case B any convenient number of vertical ribs 11., Fig. 2, bearing against the outercase and maintaining one case in a proper concentric position in respect to the other. In the lower edge of the caseB is cuta notch, q, Fig. 3, and to the outer case, A, is secured a pin or projection, 14., adapted to the said notch, the latter being so situated in respect to the Wick-tube and projection n, so situated in respect to the elongated opening in the dome, that on placingthc case A within the case B, and then turning the latter until its notch q coincides with the projection, the elongated opening of the dome must be in its proper position in respect to the Wick tube. The glass chimney II is contin'ed to the burner by lips bent down from and.

forming part of the vertical flange k and by the spring pin it, (for which Letters Patent were granted to me on the 17th ofJuly, 1860,) after pulling back which pin clear of the flange of the chimney the latter can be removed from the burner.

Having now described the construction of my improved burner for coal-oil lamps, I will proceed to explain the advantages which it posseses over ordinary burners.

It will be seen that the dome or deflector G is permanently secured to and forms an integral part of the inner case, B, and that the whole, together with the chimney, is detachable from the outer case, A. \Vhen the wick of the lamp has to be trimmed, which is a matter of frequent occurrence, the case B, with the chimney attached, is elevated from and clear of the case A when the latter is left in the condition seen in Fig. 4, the wicktube projecting above the edge of the case, and being consequently accessible to any suitable instrumentfor trimming the wick. In ordinary coal-oil lamps both the chimney and dome must be removed before the wick can be properly trimmed, and

by this removal not only is the danger of breaking the chimney incurred, (and the breakage of chimneys maybe attributed more to this necessity of detaching them entirely from the burners than to any other cause,) but the removing and readiusting of both chimney and dome must of necessity cause considerable trouble and delay.

There can belittle or no danger of breaking the chimney in removing it with the dome and case B of my improved burner, as the case forms a secure base or foundation, which, deposited on a table, serves to maintain the chimney in a vertical position, ready for application with the case B to the outer case, A, after the wick has been properly trimmed.

In lighting the wicks of ordinary coal-oil lamps it is necessary to remove the chimney and to hold theiighted match ortaperin an inverted orangularposition,owingto thepresence of the dome, before the wick can belighteda troublesome operation under any circumstances. To light the wick of my improved burner, however, all that is necessary is to temove the ease B with its dome and chimney, no preliminary uni'astening being required, when the end of the wick is at once exposed in a prominent position for the application of thelighted match or taper. Aiter theignition of the wick, the case B, with its chimney, dome, 850., can be at once, and without resorting to any elaborateadjustment, connected to the case A, the dome assuming its proper position with respect to the wick-tube.

I have found by repeated tests that a more brilliant and steady flame is the result of cansing the air to pass through two perforated cases and through the annular space between the cases, than when it has to pass through one perforated case only to the flame.

The perforations of the two cases A and B may be round, elongated, or of any form and dimension desired.

Although I prefer the arrangement shown in the drawings of the inner and outer case, it will be evident that the case which forms a part of the dome may fit over the case which is screwed to the cap of the reservoir.

It is not essential that the two cases A and B should be cylindrical. Both may be tapering, or partly tapering and partly cylindrical, as the judgment of the manufacturer may deem most appropriate.

Although I prefer theperforatin got theouter cases, as described, they may be made perfectly plain at the sides, providing an ample supply of air can be admitted through openings 1' tr, near the tower end of the case A.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The case B, with the dome or deflector G connected permanentiy to the same, when combined with and rendered detachable from the case A, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. So constructing and arranging the per forated cases A and B that an annular space shall intervene between the two, for the purpo e specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witl eases.

J. T. VANKIRK.

Witnesses:

HENRY HowsoN, J OIIN WHITE. 

